Education The United States - 1654 Words

Today in this day of society K-12 education is free to every child in the United States, it is difficult for us modern Americans to imagine a world where public schools have not existed. Although, 150 years ago in many places throughout the country, not even elementary education was provided publicly; in fact, even by the turn of the 20th century, some young individuals still did not have entry to free public high schools. To our effort every American can get a free education and obtain a high school diploma, thanks to the efforts of our civic-minded predecessors. Let’s look at the developments that made this possible. Americans have believed for a long time that to completely participate in their government, citizens need to be educated.†¦show more content†¦schools that did not exist were primarily for elementary grades. a few universities and colleges were founded during this period. most older children worked on family farms or businesses. some learned skills thro ugh apprenticeships. the role of teachers was to teach, be role models, and act as examples of moral behavior. In 1635 the first public school in the American colonies, Boston Latin School, opens. Massachusetts Bay Colony passes the Compulsory Education Law, requiring parents to teach their children to read. In 1647 Massachusetts Bay Colony becomes the first to require towns of at least 50 households to hire a teacher to educate the town’s children. Towns of 100 families should build public elementary schools. In 1661 An evening school for working children is established in New Amsterdam (now New York City.) Common Schools spread through in the 18th century. A common school was a public school in the United States during this time. In this time schools educated students of all ages in one single room with one teacher. Students did not however attend these schools for free. Parents either paid tuition, provided housing for the school teacher, or contributed other commodities in exchange for their children being allowed to attend the school. Horace Mann during the 18th century was an American educational reformer and Whig politician dedicated to promoting public education. He was the first secretary for the State Board of Education inShow MoreRelatedThe Education Of The United States1575 Words   |  7 Pagessince the founding of the United States, few have seriously argued the importance of education to society. Although education was left out of the United States Constitution in the interest of states’ rights, Thomas Jefferson was not alone in believing that â€Å"the most impo rtant bill in our whole code is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people†¦ [which is necessary] for the preservation of freedom and happiness.† (251). Despite a consensus on the necessity of education, its actualization hasRead MorePublic Education : The United States912 Words   |  4 Pages Public education is a good that is privileged to everyone in the United States. While education may seem extensive and unnecessary, especially to youth, achieving an education has benefitted people through the history of the U.S., which in turn benefits the U.S.’s welfare. When Thomas Jefferson advocated the opening of public schools in the early 1800s, his plan was only half fulfilled; only wealthy communities could afford public schools (Watson 2). This remained true until the early to mid 1900sRead MoreThe Education System Of The United States829 Words   |  4 PagesRecent surveys and articles state that Over 30% of kids in the United States never finish high school. For minority kids, it s over 50%.1. The public education system in the United States seems to be failing to meet the needs of the children and thus affecting their future outcomes. The average quality of education in Elementary, Middle and High school that a child deserves, is far from superior. Given the gro wing competition in the world it is imperative to provide a solid educational foundationRead MoreThe United States Education System1687 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States education system is currently ranked 17th worldwide (â€Å"Global Grade†). According to the dictionary, education is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. In a survey conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, adults in the United States scored way below average, and better than only two of the twelve countriesRead MoreThe United States Education System1917 Words   |  8 PagesIs the United States education system the best system in comparison to the rest of the world? There are positive aspects to the system, but there is also negative ones that can be improved if the United States took in consideration the way other count ries run their education system. Students should be taught life skills that will help them make the right decisions and help their life be less stressful and keep their mental state healthy. Instead of allowing students to have the mindset that the subjectsRead MoreThe Education Of The United States And China1870 Words   |  8 PagesModifying Education in the United States and China Perhaps there is nothing more imperative to the success of a nation today than the education of its people; developed education leads to innovation, an improved economy, and, possibly most importantly, a confidence from society about government. The rise of every great nation has been preceded by advancing education. Although education has been mostly examined from the perspective of higher education in the past, this lens fails to provide an adequateRead MoreThe United States Education System Essay1861 Words   |  8 Pagesstatement: The United States education system has weaknesses that should be remedied by emulating the education methods of other countries such as Finland and Japan. Background Before delving into the weaknesses of United States education, it is important to have an understanding of what has shaped it to become the system it is today. The rich history of United States education reveals many of its founding principles. When the first settlers came to the country, a basic system for education was establishedRead MoreThe United States Public Education System Essay1818 Words   |  8 PagesMost Americans believe that the United States public education system is largely based on the principles of work ethic and equal opportunity. We are taught that a strong work ethic is important in achieving good grades, and that these grades are crucial to attending elite universities and earning scholarships. The aforementioned features are key components of the dominant American ideology; a way of seeing that feels natural and inevitable. Although major institutions such as schools legitimize aRead More STEM Education in the United States Essay2096 Words   |  9 PagesSc ience education has been a controversial topic among employers and schools for years. Employers are requesting more STEM graduates yet the schools are unable to keep up with the rising demand. Unemployment rates continue to go up while positions in the science, technology, and engineering fields have remained open and unfulfilled. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is vital to the position of the United States in the world standings in STEM research and design. CurrentlyRead MoreThe United States Education System2631 Words   |  11 PagesThe United States is considered by many to be a world leader who excels in every arena. In education, however, the U.S. has fallen behind other countries in Europe and Asia, such as China, Korea, and Finland. These countries outperform the United States when it comes to education. In order for the United States to continue to compete in the world economy it has to improve its system of education to compete in chan ging times. The United States education system is inferior to many foreign countries